Integrated Transcriptome and Metabolome Analysis Reveals the Molecular Basis Underlying Anthocyanin Biosynthesis Associated with Different Flower Colors in Vicia faba L.

To elucidate the underlying regulatory mechanisms, transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses were conducted on pink, gray, and white flower germplasms. Anthocyanin content was higher in pigmented flowers (162.29 μg/g) than in white flowers (36.28 μg/g).

Compared to white flowers, gray flowers showed upregulation of four key metabolites related to petunidin, cyanidin, and delphinidin. Pink flowers encompassed 15 derivatives derived from cyanidin, delphinidin, peonidin, petunidin, and malvidin. Across the three flower colors, 70 structural genes involved in anthocyanin biosynthesis were differentially expressed.